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Bill: Development cooperation act
Details
Submitted by[?]: Cooperative Commonwealth Federation
Status[?]: passed
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: January 2069
Description[?]:
| Lodamun's prosperity allows us to be generous those less fortunate. Since we are all one human family, it is important that we do our utmost to help others. The government shall budget 1% of our gross national product for development aid in the poorest countries. Aid shall be made available in the first instance to co-operatives in the poorest countries, through an International Co-operation Network Initiative as outlined below. The offer of food and humanitarian aid shall be made in the case of natural disasters and war. An immediate offer of humanitarian aid shall be made to the people of Marligantos county, in the Free State of Gaduridos. All development projects will be subject to audit by monitoring agencies reporting to the government of Lodamun and representatives of the recipient community, to ensure that they meet environmental and human rights benchmarks. --- International Co-operative Network Initiative Foreign aid, all too often, addresses the symptoms of poverty rather than targeting the causes. Where there is a specific crisis it will, to a greater or lesser degree, ameliorate human suffering directly but provides no framework which addresses the root. While maintaining an appropriate sum for deployment in time of crisis to peoples in need, Lodamun should develop an aid programme which is resilient, effective and which provides the basis for long-term solutions. Building on previous legislation, including the Rights for Co-operative Production Act, the International Sustainable Industries Scheme and the Foreign Investment Law, the International Co-operative Network Initiative (ICNI) is the foundation for a foreign aid package which ensures sustainable recovery and development. With the agreement of the relevant overseas government and once they have enacted their own legislation in line with the aspirations of the RCPA, ISIS and FIL, funding and expertise will be supplied to establish local co-operatives based around farming, the extraction of raw materials, processing of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation or associated services. Owned by local communities and the staff who work in them, these facilities will improve trading opportunities worldwide and bring prosperity directly to those most in need. Furthermore, these co-operatives shall be granted licence to organise direct exchanges of food, raw materials, produced or part-produced goods with co-operatives within Lodamun without tax, duty or other government levy as long as it is for the purpose of enhancement, completion or other direct use within the operation of the Lodamun-based co-operative and not for direct resale. As the scheme spreads it will become a multi-national co-operative network providing mutuality, long-term poverty relief and exponential improvements in the quality, supply and value of finished goods for sale on the open market. |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change Government policy towards giving aid to foreign countries.
Old value:: The government never offers international aid.
Current: The government gives high levels of aid to countries in need.
Proposed: The government gives high levels of aid to countries in need.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 01:01:41, June 09, 2005 CET | From | CNT/AFL | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | We will support this, but make sure this isn't crooked, like the aid given by some countries that shall remain unnamed. No aid to Lodamunian corporations abroad and the like, just straight to the people. |
| Date | 04:10:30, June 09, 2005 CET | From | Chorus of Amyst | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | The Council will not support this. Government funds were one of the causes of the revolution, and we dislike the idea of opening funds to other nations so soon after possible peace. Additionally, the Council's isolationist constituents would surely not appreciate such an act, especially if the funds are somehow used to promote either capitalism OR communism in the receiving areas. |
| Date | 08:35:47, June 09, 2005 CET | From | MLTP (The Resistance) | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | We share the CNT's veiw. |
| Date | 08:44:23, June 09, 2005 CET | From | Chorus of Amyst | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | The Council finds it strange that PACF members would have as part of their grief with the government a lack of organized budget, yet would immediately state support for the use of government funds toward unnamed foreign countries. |
| Date | 17:52:14, June 10, 2005 CET | From |  National People's Gang | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | Aha! We were troubled about where the money came from, we're entirely profligate when it comes to the money going to... |
| Date | 23:22:55, June 11, 2005 CET | From | Adam Smith Party | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | We wonder who would make up the LIDA and as to why passing funds through a layer of Buraeucracy would benefit anyone. It is far better to allow the good citizens of Lodamun to retain their wealth and pass whatever portion of it they choose directly on to those in need through efficient charitable organisations. This strikes us as a proposal to create an agency to take the power of choice away from our people and to redirect some of their hard earned gains into the pockets of the bureaucrats. We oppose all such proposals. |
| Date | 18:28:35, June 12, 2005 CET | From | CNT/AFL | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | "It is far better to allow the good citizens of Lodamun to retain their wealth and pass whatever portion of it they choose directly on to those in need through efficient charitable organisations." Except the people of Lodamun aren't exactly the most moral, generous people. Besides, aid is more likely to end up in places where they have a vested interest, rather than the place that needs it most. For example, A Lodamunian of Kalistani heritage is far more likely to send money to Kalistan, even as Malivia needs the aid more. |
| Date | 18:49:28, June 12, 2005 CET | From | Cooperative Commonwealth Federation | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | Individual charity will, to be honest, achieve absolutely nothing in terms of international development, which requires sustained planning if it is to be effective. However, this bill be soon be re-written to take account of suggestions and make it a more comprehensive statement of foreign aid policy. |
| Date | 20:20:44, June 12, 2005 CET | From | Adam Smith Party | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | Which makes the make up of this proposed LIDA even more critical. Who is to decide which state requires aid. This is not something on which there would be an obvious consensus. However, given the statements made by the PACF members here We request that this proposal is withdrawn for the following reasons: An opinion has been expressed concerning our good citizens " the people of Lodamun aren't exactly the most moral, generous people." If this being the case, it is requested that this proposal is withdrawn as it clearly does not reflect the will and desire of the citizenry of Lodamun, and this being a democratic society it is the work of the government to reflect this desire. If this claim by the CNT/AFL is not the case then again it is requested that this bill is withdrawn as it would obviously incur unnecessary expenditure. |
| Date | 22:56:07, June 14, 2005 CET | From | CNT/AFL | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | It doesn't work that way. The citizens of Lodamun would be glad to give a share of their income to foreign aid, they just want to make sure that they aren't the only ones doing it. A janitor earning 1/50th the income of a corporate executive wouldn't want to contribute more money than the executive. If it is left up to the individual choice, there will always be a few selfish detractors, who will set off a domino effect. |
| Date | 17:38:40, June 15, 2005 CET | From | Adam Smith Party | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | If people want to do things, and opportunity is provided for them to do it, then they will. If they do not do this thing whatever it may be, it is because they do not wish to. A janitor that wishes to contribute a portion of his earnings to the poor abroad will do so regardless of whether a CEO does or does not do the same. The tying of one act to the other makes the janitor, in your minds, the slave of the CEO with the Ceo determining every action of that janitor. We do not see our citizens as being slaves to the will of others, nor do wish to make them such. To this end we strongly oppose this attempt to impose the will of your party on the desires and wishes of our free citizenry. |
| Date | 04:31:00, June 16, 2005 CET | From | Cooperative Commonwealth Federation | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | The people of Lodamun have shown that they are internationally-minded. There is clearly a wish to help others in less fortunate countries. Individual charity, while praiseworthy, is not an effective means to solve the problems of less developed countries. Development cooperation must be a collaborative effort between the peoples of both donor and recipient countries. There is no such thing as an "invisible hand." Lifting the standard of living of entire countries requries planning on a large scale, with secure and ongoing funding that also builds in safeguards against ciorrution and the abuse of the environment or human rights. There is also an opportunity here for Lodamun to share its cooperative model with other countries in order to assist them towards economic and social progress. We have an opportunity to work together for greater economic and ecological justice everywhere. Let us not throw it away. |
| Date | 05:31:30, June 16, 2005 CET | From | Chorus of Amyst | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | Individual charity is ineffective because acts like this and other socialistic economic acts take up money that would otherwise possibly be donated. |
| Date | 16:03:21, June 16, 2005 CET | From | Adam Smith Party | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | "The people of Lodamun have shown that they are internationally-minded. There is clearly a wish to help others in less fortunate countries." We would support the free choice of individuals to help as and where they saw fit, and we are sure that all our colleagues in parliament would as well. "Lifting the standard of living of entire countries requries planning on a large scale, with secure and ongoing funding that also builds in safeguards against corruption and the abuse of the environment or human rights." These are matters for the recipient countries to address. We do not have any authority over their internal politics. We trust our people to support and assist where appropriate and to condemn and castigate as required, foreign powers. As such we see no need to collectivise the opinion of our people and impose upon them the views of a limited few as to what is and is not acceptable behaviour by a government. Not only is colectivism inefficient in that it skims off money that would have otherwise been donated, it is impositional and totalitarian in that it requires that all the population hold the same opinion as to who is worthy of support. We oppose this measure. We have an opportunity here, by rejecting this bill, to demonstrate to the world that we truly respect the people of our nation, that we regartd them as mature and competent decision makers, and that we wholeheartedly reject all forms of government determination of the popular will. |
| Date | 17:00:19, June 16, 2005 CET | From | Cooperative Commonwealth Federation | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | We assume that the opposition of the Council and the Adam Smith Party is to the principle of development aid, so there is no point in seeking a compromise on the amount of aid. To address one point, however: the internal politics of other countries is none of our business, perhaps, but the way other countries spend aid money provided by the tax payer of Lodamun certainly is our business. |
| Date | 19:59:02, June 16, 2005 CET | From | Adam Smith Party | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | The opposition of ASP is to the government involvement in provision of charity funded by private individuals. If the government were proposing that we, as members of the parliament were to contribute just a portion of our salaries then this would be more reasonable, but still objectionable as the members for ASP may well desire to help different groups to those of the members for CFC-Greens for example. On the point of meddling in the internal politics of other states this is a strong argument against providing tax based aid. We have no right, whatsoever, to interfere in the internal matters of another state, acting as a state. To do so would be to be imperialistic. But we also have no right to give our tax payer's money to corrupt and non democratic regimes. The obvious solution to this is to alow the tax payer to donate the money as, when and where he or she sees fit. |
| Date | 21:52:53, June 16, 2005 CET | From | Cooperative Commonwealth Federation | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | Section entitled International Co-operative Network Initiative added, written by 2nd June Movement, which spells out the intent and continuity with existing legislation in more depth. Thanks to the 2nd June Movement for the hard work. The CCF-Greens caucus has met and agreed to a voluntary donation of 10% of our salaries to environmentally sustainable development work, but we certainly do not plan to introduce a bill compelling other parties to do the same. |
| Date | 23:46:45, June 16, 2005 CET | From | CNT/AFL | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | Perhaps a clause indicating any country receiving aid from us may raise their tarrifs on certain goods without retaliation, atleast while we subsidize the operations of farmers. The last thing we want is an already delicate market flooded with subsidized Lodamunian goods with which locals cannot compete. |
| Date | 18:18:18, June 18, 2005 CET | From | Cooperative Commonwealth Federation | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | ((oops, sorry CNT, didn't see your comment before moving to vote. I don't think any market flooding would start immediately, but maybe Amyst's ag. subsidies bill will make the point moot.)) With the news of a cease fire between Kalistan and Gaduridos, let us pass this bill now so we can make an offer of aid to the victims of that conflict in Marligantos county. |
| Date | 22:58:45, June 18, 2005 CET | From | Adam Smith Party | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | We still firmly reject this bill and call upon the other consciencious parties of Lodamun to do the same. This is blatent extortion of assets from our people to meet the political and personal goals of the proponents of the bill. Let our people decide for themselves who they wish to support, do not force the decision of a group of politicians on them. |
| Date | 05:42:46, June 19, 2005 CET | From | Tuesday Is Coming | To | Debating the Development cooperation act |
| Message | This bill wrongfully extorts money from our citizens to give it to citizens of other nations. I would like to remind everyone that the rest of the world is none of our business |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | ||||
| yes |
Total Seats: 259 | ||||
| no |
Total Seats: 141 | ||||
| abstain | Total Seats: 46 |
| Random fact: Before choosing a nation, you may wish to research it first. For more information on the cultural backgrounds of the nations, please see the Cultural Protocols Index: http://forum.particracy.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6365 |
| Random quote: "The problem is big government. If whoever controls government can impose his way upon you, you have to fight constantly to prevent the control from being harmful. With small, limited government, it doesn't much matter who controls it, because it can't do you much harm." - Harry Browne |